Cooking with ChatGPT: Pad Kra Pao
Experimenting with Chat’s epicurean side
My thinking was simple: if Chat can code, strategise, create ideas, and content, then surely it can help with a recipe. Why not put it to the test and see what happens? This meal plan became an experiment in AI-assisted cooking, and I was curious to see how well it would turn out.
Finding the dish I wanted to cook
This process started because I couldn’t remember the name of the dish I wanted to cook, so I turned to ChatGPT. I described the dish, mentioning some of the ingredients I remembered and what I thought it was called—Pad Grapow Ko? Chat picked up on it right away—Pad Kra Pao, a classic Thai dish with minced chicken, green beans, and chillies. It was a seamless process. From there, I asked for recommendations for sides to round out the meal. What really impressed me was how well Chat matched its suggested side dishes to complement the main meal.
Can I get fries with that?
I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare, so I specifically asked Chat for sides that were "simple and quick to cook." Chat’s suggestions of Moo Ping (pork skewers) and a cucumber salad were spot on. Both were quick to make and complemented the main dish beautifully—Yes Chef, exactly what I was after. Chat had proposed some other options too, but the two mention really stood out as the best fit. It felt like having a personal sous-chef, offering curated options to fit my needs.
Bing, bang bosh.
With the recipes in hand, the actual cooking process was a breeze. Chat provided clear, easy-to-follow instructions, “bing, bang, bosh” as Jamie would say. If I had more time, I might have experimented with ChatGPT’s voice feature to guide me through each step, but the written instructions worked just as well.
Authentic, and utterly delicious.
I was somewhat familiar with Pad Kra Pao, so I had a feeling this meal would turn out well. But I have to say, the results exceeded my expectations. The combination of flavours across all the dishes was perfectly balanced, creating a quick, tasty, and authentically Thai meal. It wasn’t just me—my guests were equally impressed, especially as I had told them the recipe I was following was generated by AI. The result, empty plates all around.
Tip: Get Chat to make you an organised shopping list
One of my favourite parts of this collaboration was when Chat put together a shopping list for me. It wasn’t just a list; it was organised into categories like pantry staples, vegetables, and proteins, which made navigating the supermarket a breeze. It’s a simple but effective add on prompt that I’ll happily use again.
Learnings
What I’ve learned from this experience is that having a clear idea of what you want to create helps drive a successful outcome with AI. But I’m also excited to see what happens when I give Chat a bit more freedom to surprise me next time. Who knows what new culinary adventure it might take me on? I’m going to make this into a series, so you’ll find out.
Recipes
Pad Kra Pao
It's a delicious stir-fried minced chicken dish with green beans, chilli, and Thai basil, often served with rice and topped with a crispy fried egg.
Ingredients:
500g minced chicken (or pork/beef, if preferred)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 bird’s eye chillies (adjust to your spice level), chopped
1-2 long red chillies (optional for colour), sliced
150g green beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 handful of Thai basil leaves
1-2 fried eggs (crispy on the edges, soft yolk preferred)
Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions:
Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
Stir-fry the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and bird’s eye chillies. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not burned.
Cook the chicken: Add the minced chicken to the pan and stir-fry for about 4-5 minutes, breaking it up with a spatula until it’s cooked through.
Add the green beans: Stir in the chopped green beans and long red chillies (if using). Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the beans are slightly tender but still crunchy.
Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and beans. Stir well and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes so everything is well coated and the flavours come together.
Add Thai basil: Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai basil leaves. The residual heat will wilt the basil. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Fry the eggs: In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the hot oil and fry until the edges are crispy and the yolk is still runny.
Serve: Serve the stir-fried chicken with steamed jasmine rice, topped with a crispy fried egg.
Tips:
If you can’t find Thai basil, sweet basil works as a substitute, though the flavour will be slightly different.
Adjust the amount of chilli to your preferred spice level, as the dish can get quite spicy!
Thai Cucumber Salad
A refreshing and quick Thai cucumber salad is a great contrast to the spicy Pad Kra Pao.
Ingredients:
1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce
1 small red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
Fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
1 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed (optional)
Instructions:
In a bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce until the sugar dissolves.
Add the sliced cucumber, chopped chilli, and coriander. Toss to coat.
Let it sit for a few minutes for the flavours to meld.
Sprinkle with crushed peanuts before serving if desired.
Pork skewers (Moo Ping)
These juicy grilled pork skewers are perfect as a side or even a snack.
Ingredients:
500g pork shoulder or pork neck, thinly sliced
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground white pepper
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Instructions:
In a bowl, mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and pepper.
Marinate the sliced pork in the mixture for at least 1 hour (longer is better).
Thread the pork onto the soaked skewers.
Grill over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side until the pork is cooked through and slightly charred.
Serve immediately with rice and dipping sauce (like a sweet chilli or tamarind-based sauce).
